Article banding machines

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to banding machines of the kind capable of automatically applying a wrapping band around a flat article or articles, e.g., stacks of banknotes, and may be integrated with machines for counting and delivering numbers of articles, e.g., banknotes, to a banding station. The banding machines comprises a platform, the working surface of which receives an article to be banded, means for feeding a band from a magazine and positioning the band adjacent to the platform, yieldably mounted support means adapted to move adjacent said platform, reciprocable constant-stroke gripper means adapted to transfer the article from the working surface to the support means with the band therebetween, and thereafter to move to the limit of its stroke thereby to grip both the article and the band, and means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band. The components of the machine preferably move in a rotary manner through band-loading, article-loading, band-uniting, and bandedarticle-delivery stations.

United States Patent 1 July 11, 1972 Sels [54} ARTICLE BANDING MACHINES [72] inventor: Victor Richard Sels, Sidcup, England [73] Assignee: De La Rue Instruments Limited, London,

England [22] Filed: Oct. 14, 1970 211 App1.No.: 80,712

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 17, 1969 Great Britain ..s 1,194/69 [52] U8. Cl. ..53/63, 53/198 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B65b 27/08, 1365b 57/06 [58] Field otSeai-eh ..53/l98 R, 222, 223, 232-234,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,380,227 4/1968 Youngman et al........,..........53/234 X 3,154,307 10/1964 Williamson ....93/93 DP 3,479,792 11/1969 Jensen et ..,.53/l98 R 3,056,246 10/1962 Lyon et a1. ..53I234 X Primary Examiner-Theron E. Condon Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorney-Baldwin, Wight & Brown [5 7] ABSTRACT This invention relates to banding machines of the kind capable of automatically applying a wrapping band around a flat article or articles, e.g., stacks of banknotes, and may be integrated with machines for counting and delivering numbers of articles, e.g., banknotes, to a banding station. The banding machines comprises a platform, the working surface of which receives an article to be banded, means for feeding a band from a magazine and positioning the band adjacent to the platform, yieldably mounted support means adapted to move adjacent said platform, reciprocable constant-stroke gripper means adapted to transfer the article from the working surface to the support means with the band therebetween, and thereafter to move to the limit of its stroke thereby to grip both the article and the band, and means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band. The components of the machine preferably move in a rotary manner through band-loading, artide-loading, band-uniting, and banded-article-delivery stations.

[2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUL 1 1 i972 SHEET 1 OF 6 may 5y: 50144 [11' i- 5%,

ARTICLE BANDING MACHINES This invention relates to banding machines of the kind capable of applying a wrapping band around flat articles. The invention has particular utility in banding groups of sheet-like flexible any such as stacks of paper articles. for example banknotes but is application is not so limited. The invention further encompasses paper stack banding machines integrated with machines for counting and delivering predetermined numbers of sheets to a banding station.

One object of the present invention is to provide a banding machine which is capable of banding in an automatic manner packets of varying quantities of similar articles without an manual adjustment whatsoever being necessary to the machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a banding machine which is capable of banding articles of different thicknesses without the need for any corresponding manual adjustment to the machine.

In this specification the word article" is to be taken to mean either a single article or a group or assembly of articles to be banded together in abutting relationship.

The present invention provides a banding machine comprising a platform, a working surface of which serves to receive an article to be banded, means for feeding and positioning a band adjacent an opposite surface of the said platform, yieldably mounted support means adapted to move closely by said platform, reciprocal constant-stroke gripper means adapted to transfer the article from the platform to the support means with the band therebetween and thereafter to move to the limit of its stroke thereby to grip both the article and the band, and means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings which illustrate in a diagrammatic manner vertical sectional views of six sequential incremental stages of a single operation of a machine capable of banding stacks of banknotes. included in the description are references to a banknote counting machine, for the association of banding and counting machines will be highly desirable in practice. However, the banding machine now exemplified is of course capable of being used independently.

it will be appreciated that the drawings illustrate only parts of the machine that are necessary for understanding the invention and that all structural and driving components have been omitted in the interests of clarity.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the apparatus essentially includes a rectangular box-like structure having a pair of main frames disposed parallel to each other and adapted to support and house the working components therebetween. The upper surface of the structure comprises a rectangular plate member 1 having an aperture 2 capable of accepting stacks of banknotes in a transverse manner upon a support platform 3 disposed below the plate member 1, and supported at its rearward end. Thus, in FIG. l a stack of banknotes 4 is shown in end-on view upon the working surface 3' of the platform 3. The platform 3 is provided with slots to provide clearance for gripper members as hereinafter described.

The plate member 1 is provided with four cavities or pockets (one of which is shown at 5) to accommodate the feet of a banknote feeding and counting machine generally indicated by symbol 6. The counting machine, is substantially as described in the British Pat. No. 898,715 but is provided with a delivery stage comprising a driven tined wheel 7 adapted to deflect and convey notes from a flowline within the counting machine to a horizontal position below the tined wheel. In effeet the wheel is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction and notes are fed into the gaps between the tines and thereafter turned through approximately 180 until they are finally withdrawn by means of stop members 8.

The counting machine includes a selectively operable control means which enables an operator to cause the delivery of a predetermined number of banknotes to the delivery stage and additionally means to divert multiply-fed notes automatically during feeding, such diversion taking place prior to the counting stage thereby to ensure that a correct quantity of notes is delivered. It will be apparent that the counting machine may be used for general duties and that it may be readily integrated with the banding machine simply by placing it upon the plate member 1 and that alignment is achieved automatically by the means described above. A plug-in electrical connection interconnects the functions of the two machines and thus banded packets of banknotes may be produced in accordance with the requirements of the operator.

The banding machine essentially includes a rotary assembly mounted below the support platform 3 upon a horizontal axis and in a single anti-clockwise revolution serves to remove a paper band from a supply magazine, to position the same below the stack of notes and to remove the stack in a clamped position, whereafter the ends of the band are brought together around the stack and the ends of the band are united. Finally. the packet is released at the bottom of the machine upon a belt conveyor.

BAND SUPPLY MAGAZINE The band supply magazine comprises a trough-like box 9 capable of oscillating to the limit indicated by the chain dotted line 9' in FIG. I. The box is mounted in a releasable manner to a pivotal framework (not shown) which is oscillated by means of a cam system driven from the main drive of the machine (not shown). The box may be detached from its associated framework to facilitate the replenishment of bands. The underside of the box is apertured at 10 to permit the leading end of a band H to protrude therethrough. A light leaf spring is provided to engage with the extreme tip of the band to hold back bands remaining in the magazine, and a springbiassing means is also provided to feed the supply of bands against the inside of the part of the box having the aperture 10.

Paper bands of overall dimensions 8 X 1% inches are precoated with contact adhesive on areas on the opposite ends of their opposite faces and are arranged in the supply magazine in such a manner that an adhesive-coated face is not visible in the aperture.

ROTARY ASSEMBLY The rotary assembly comprises a driven rotary member constituted by an aluminum housing 12 which is rigidly attached to a crank arm (not shown) which is pivoted to revolve round the axis center X. The crank arm is positively driven by means of a geared electric motor through the medium of a notched belt drive and associated pulleys (also not shown). A counterweight (not shown) is provided diametrically opposite to the housing 12 to balance the revolutionary components of the assembly.

The housing 12 is adapted to carry two pivotal components upon a common axis pin [3. One component comprises a block 14 which is actuated by a cam roller 15 and which carries an adjustable L-shaped bracket 16 for the purpose of coacting with, aligning and retaining the leading edges of an assembly of banknotes, and also of deflecting the band around the leading edge of the stack of banknotes. The bracket is retained in position by means of a screw 17 through a slotted hole which permits pre-setting in accordance with the width of the banknotes to be handled. The bracket is fork-ended at its upper extremity, the two side prongs passing on either side of the band supply magazine 9. The center section of the bracket between the prongs forms a mounting for a suction cup assembly 18 which is connected to an air distribution valve, which will be described in detail later in the specification, by means of a flexible air pipe 19.

The second pivotal component carried on the axis pin l3 comprises a lever 20 mounting an actuating cam roller 21 and terminating at a first band-deflection means constituted by a centrally disposed inverted L-shaped lever 22. This lever is capable of being moved so that its extremity bears against the underside of a band and its exact function will be described later in the Specification.

The housing 12 is also adapted to carry two slidable components which comprise, firstly, yieldably mounted support means constituted by an arcuate pad member 23 which is mounted on two parallel rods 24. Compression springs 25 are provided to bias the pad member in an outward radial direction and circlips are fitted to the opposite ends of the rods 24 to limit movement. The pad 23 is internally cavitated to form suction ports 26 which are connected to the above mentioned air distribution valve by means of a flexible pipe 27. The second slidable component comprises a pair of parallelly disposed rods 28 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) which pass through bores in the housing 12 and carry on their outer extremities reciprocal constant-stroke gripper means constituted by two angled gripper members 29. The rods 28 are actuated by means of a common bell crank 30 through a linkage 30'. The bell crank is pivoted to a part of the housing 12 by means of a mounting pin 31 and is actuated by a cam roller 32.

CAM SYSTEM The pivotal and slidable components carried on the rotary housing 12 are actuated by means of three independent stationary cams A, B, C, mounted in spaced side-by-side relationship around the axis center X.

The three cams are diagrammatically shown as follows:

CAM A shown by a chain-dotted line (viz. dash-dot-dot) is adapted to coact with the cam roller and controls the movement of the note-aligning and band-deflecting bracket 16 and the integrally attached suction cup 18.

CAM B shown by a dot-dash line actuates the movement of the band-folding lever 22 via the cam roller 2].

CAM C, which is shown by a dotted line, oscillates the bell crank 30 through the cam roller 32 which in turn causes the gripper members 29 to move in a substantially radial direction through a constant stroke. Cam C is provided with a retractable segmental portion 33 which is adapted to be moved in certain working conditions out of its effective operative position by means of a solenoid (not shown). The formation of the segmental portion 33 is more clearly seen in FIG. 4 which shows that the cam roller 32 will follow the inner contour Cl when the solenoid is energized and contour C2 when it is de-energized. The reason for the provision of this facility is given below.

Springbiassing means (not shown) are provided to ensure that the cam rollers follow the contours of their respective cams.

VACUUM SYSTEM The vacuum system comprises a motor driven vacuum pump 34 which is connected to the stationary component 35 of an air distribution valve having a vacuum portion 36, by means of a pipe 37. The rotary portion of the air distribution valve comprises a sleeve member 38 integrally attached to the aforementioned crank arm (not shown) which carries and drives the whole rotary assembly. Ports 39 and 40 are provided in the wall of the sleeve member and communicate with the flexible pipes 19 and 27 respectively. Thus it will be seen that as the rotary assembly rotates a source of vacuum will be connected cyclically to either or both of the suction cup 18 and the suction ports 26 of the pad member 23. It must be emphasized that the illustrated and described distribution valve arrangement is essentially diagrammatic and that in actual fact other constructions may be employed. For example, a conical or flat-faced valve suitably springbiassed would provide a wear-compensating and leak-free interface. A vacuumsensitive electrical switch 41 is provided at a T-connection in the main vacuum pipe 37 thereby to energize the C cam segmentactuating solenoid when a predetermined degree of suction is present within the system.

MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENTS AND DELIVERY A pair of parallel spaced arcuate plates, one of which is shown by symbol 42, is provided on the left-hand side of the machine for the purpose of retaining a stack of banknotes during the band sealing operation, and additionally to provide a mounting for a transverse band-folding pin 43 and a brush member 44. The plates are spaced apart sufficiently to permit the width of a band to pass therebetween. In this specific example a spacing of approximately 2 inches provides a satisfactory support surface.

The delivery stage comprises a pair of belt systems 45 and 46 adapted to frictionally engage and feed a banded packet of banknotes therebetween to a delivery point. The belts are driven from an auxiliary take-off from the electric motor adapted to drive the main machine.

An electrical control means (not shown) is provided to arrest the rotation of the rotary assembly every complete revolution. This is conveniently carried out by means of an electrical switch capable of being actuated upon movement of the rotary assembly and adapted to control a magnetic clutch (not shown) which in turn disconnects the drive from the electric motor. The chain-dotted line components outline in FIG. 6 indicates a "rest position" between operating cycles.

OPERATING SEQUENCE In FIG. 1, a delivered stack of banknotes 4 is shown positioned upon the support platform 3, and the rotary assembly has started, by receipt of a starting signal from the counting machine, to turn in an anti-clockwise direction from the rest position. A source of vacuum is connected to the suction cup 18 because the port 39 controlling the same is in alignment with the port 36 of the stationary component of the air-distribution valve. The end ofa band 11 will thus be adhered to the suction cup 18 and as the rotary assembly turns anticlockwise and the magazine 9 turns clockwise, it will be withdrawn from the magazine. Continued rotation will cause the roller 15 to follow the profile of cam A and this will have the effect of turning the block 14 together with its associated attachments in an anti-clockwise direction about the axis pin 13. This will cause the suction cup 18 together with the band 11 to move away from the arcuate pad 23 (see FIG. 2).

Because the suction cup 18 is sealed to atmosphere by the band, the desired predetermined degree of suction will be present in the system and accordingly the vacuum-sensitive switch 4] will complete an electrical circuit to energize and retract the segment 33 of cam C. Continued rotation will therefore cause the cam roller 32 to follow the inner track Cl with the result that the gripper members 29 will remain in the outward position thereby to contact the rear edges of the stack of banknotes 4 upon the support surface 3. At this point the vacuum port 40 will align with the port 36 of the stationary air valve and a supply of vacuum will be directed to the arcuate face of the pad 23 via the ports 26 and cut off from the suction cap 18. This has the effect of causing the intermediate part of band 11 to adhere to the pad 23 (see FIG. 3).

Continued rotation will cause the grippers 29 to push the stack of notes 4 off the support surface 3 and onto the pad 23 with the band therebetween, the grippers 29 passing through the slots in the platform 3. Thereafter the grippers 29 descend upon the top of the stack and cause the arcuate pad 23 to move inwardly against the action of the compression springs 25. Before the grippers 29 finally contact the top of the stack, follower 15 rises and causes the L-bracket 26 to contact the front edges of the notes in the stack (now on the pad 23) thereby to align the same by ensuring all the notes abut with the grippers 29. (It will be realized that the supply of vacuum has by then been cut off from the suction cup 18 which thus no longer has any effect upon the band). Ultimately cam C will cause the grippers 29 to descend to an exact datum position and it therefore follows that if a smaller or greater number of banknotes are contained within the stack, the pad 23 will descend through a correspondingly lesser or greater distance. It will thus be apparent that the upper surface of a stack of any thickness will always be positioned in a constant position. Further movement will cause the B cam and the associated roller 21 to move the L-shaped lever 22 in an anti-clockwise direction thus to contact and deflect the trailing end of the band in an upward direction. It will be noted that the movement of the bracket 16 has caused the leading end of the band 1] to move outwardly (see FIG. 4), the bracket 16 thus acting as a second band-deflection means.

Continued rotation will turn the lever 22 so that it completely abuts with the top surface of the stack and in so doing the trailing end of the band will be fully positioned to its folded condition. Thereafter the leading end of the band will contact the outside of the band-folding pin 43 and further movement will hinge it about the front of the stack (see FIG. 5).

Finally, the leading end of the band will be pressed against the upper surface of the trailing end of the band as it passes below the brush member 44 and as soon as the adhesive coatings contact each other the band will be sealed.

In FIG. 6 the completed packet will be seen just prior to entering between the delivery belts 45 and 46 after it has been released by the withdrawal of the gripper members 29, the bracket 16 and the lever 22 (Cams C, A, and B respectively).

The drive to the rotary assembly will be cut out when it reaches the position indicated by the chain-dotted outline shown in FIG. 6.

The commencement of a subsequent operating sequence of the banding machine will be initiated by a start pulse derived from the counting machine as an indication that the requisite quantity of banknotes has been fed into the support platform 3.

ln the eventuality that the suction cup 18 fails to remove a band from the magazine 9 there will be a loss of vacuum within the suction system and accordingly the vacuum-sensitive switch 41 will fail to complete the electrical circuit to energize the solenoid adapted to retract the segment 33 of cam C. The effect of this will be that cam roller 32 will follow contour C2 of the cam C (see FIG. 4) and consequently the grippers 29 will remain retracted thus to pass below the support platform 3 without removing the stack of banknotes posi tioned thereon. In FIG. 4 the ghosted outlines of the grippers and their associated actuating roller are shown in two sequential positions by symbols 47 and 47, and 48 and 48 respectively.

The vacuumsensitive switch 41 may conveniently be provided with additional electrical contacts which serve to energize an audible or visual warning device to inform the operator that the machine is malfunctioning or alternatively that the band supply magazine has become exhausted.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that when the support platform 3 is completely unobstructed a counting machine "start circuit may be completed thereby to cause the counting machine to commence to deliver a further stack of banknotes to the support platform. Such a start" circuit may conveniently be initiated by means of an electrical switch which is actuated by the rotary assembly when it reaches a predetermined angular position. ln FIG. 4 the stream of banknotes 4' is seen approaching the revolving tined wheel 7.

It will be appreciated that the machine above described would be equally suitable for use in banding single articles as well as stacks of banknotes. These would need to be fed consecutively to the platform from a store or production line and, of course, the machine is suitable for banding articles of different thicknesses.

What is claimed is:

l. A banding machine comprising:

a. a platform having a working surface adapted to receive an article to be banded;

b. a rotary assembly disposed adjacent the surface of the platform remote from said working surface, means mounting said rotary assembly for rotation about a fixed axis and said rotary assembly including a support means mounting said support both for circumferential movement closely by said platform to receive an article therefrom and for inward substantially radial movement against biasing means, a reciprocal constant-stroke gripper, means mounting said gripper adjacent said sup port for movement in a substantially radial direction from a rest position to a predetermined inward position, said gripper having a radially disposed portion positioned for engaging a trailing edge of an article upon said platform. said gripper including also a tangentially disposed terminal portion defining means movable towards said predetermined inward position for engaging a part of the outer surface of an article disposed upon said support and gripping said article thereupon;

c. means for feeding a band upon said support before it reaches said platform;

. driving means for rotating said rotary assembly;

e. actuating means for said gripper, said actuating means being driven by said driving means and operable upon rotation of the rotary assembly to cause said radially disposed portion of the gripper to engage the article trailing edge thereby to transfer the article from said platform to said support with a band therebetween and thereafter to move said gripper from said rest position radially in wardly with said tangential portion of the said gripper moving to said predetermined inward position thereby to grip the article; and

f. means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band while the article is gripped by said gripper.

2. A banding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for bringing together the two ends of a band comprises first reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in a direction opposite to that of the rotary assembly to fold a leading end of the band against the article leading edge, second reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in the same direction as the rotary assembly to fold the trailing end of the band around the trailing edge and outer surface of the article gripped upon said support, and actuating means for said lever means driven by said driving means and means fixedly mounted to a stationary part of the machine for coacting the leading and trailing ends of the band.

3. A banding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the actuating means for said gripper and said first and second reciprocal lever means comprises, respectively, first and second and third cams and associated first and second and third cam followers, said cams being fixedly mounted co-axially about the axis of rotation of the assembly.

4. A banding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for feeding the band upon said support comprises a suction member mounted upon said rotary assembly, a rotary air distribution valve comprising a stationary component having a distribution port in communication with a source of suction, a rotary component adapted to rotate with said rotary assembly and having port means in communication with said suction member and adapted to align cyclically with said distribution port, and safety means operable upon rotation of the rotary assembly to move said gripper to its predetermined inward position when, as said gripper approaches said platform, there is less than a predetermined degree of suction in said suction member.

5. A banding machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the actuating means for the said gripper comprises a modifiable cam fixedly mounted co-axially about the axis of rotation of the rotary assembly and an associated cam follower connected mechanically to said gripper and the safety means is adapted to modify the effective profile of the said cam.

6. A banding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cam comprises two distinct portions, a major portion adapted for normal operation of the machine and a movable minor portion adapted to move into effective alignment with said major portion whereby to increase the peripheral profile of the said cam and to cause the extremity of the said gripper to pass inwardly of the working surface of the said platform upon rotation of the rotary assembly.

7. A banding machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the minor portion of the cam is spring biased to said effective alignment and including a vacuum sensitive electrical switch in fluid communication with the interior of said suction member and an electromagnet adapted to be energized by said vacuum sensitive switch, and in its energized state, to move said minor cam portion out of said effective alignment.

8. A banding machine as claimed in claim 1 including a magazine adapted to house a supply of bands, said magazine being pivotally mounted and driven by said driving means in unison with the rotation of said rotary assembly thereby to facilitate the removal of a band from said magazine by said band feeding means.

9. A banding machine comprising:

a a platform having a working surface adapted to receive an article to be banded;

b. a rotary assembly disposed adjacent the surface of the platform remote from said working surface, means mounting said rotary assembly for rotation about a fixed axis, said rotary assembly including a support, means mounting said support both for circumferential movement closely by said platform and to receive an article therefrom and for inward substantially radial movement against biasing means, a reciprocal constant stroke gripper, means mounting said gripper for movement in a substantially radial direction from a rest position to a predetermined inward position, said gripper having a radially disposed portion positioned for engaging a trailing edge of an article upon said platform, said gripper including also a tangentially disposed portion defining means movable towards said predetermined inward position for engaging a part of an outer surface of an article upon said support and gri ping the article thereupon, and a pivotally mounted article aligning means adapted to engage the leading edge of an article upon said support and to constrain said article between the radially disposed portion of the gripper and said article aligning means prior to the gripping of the article upon the support;

. a means for feeding a band upon said support before it reaches said platform;

driving means for rotating said rotary assembly;

. actuating means for said gripper and said aligning means, said actuating means being driven by said driving means and adapted upon rotation of said rotary assembly to cause the said radial portion of the gripper to engage the said trailing edge thereby to transfer an article from the platform to the support with a band therebetween, to move said gripper from said rest position, to move said aligning means to its effective position and, thereafter, to cause said tangential portion of said gripper to move to said predetermined inward position; and

f. means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band.

10. A banding machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein the means for bringing together the two ends of a band comprises first reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in a direction opposite to that of the rotary assembly to fold a leading end of the band against the leading edge of an article and second reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in the same direction as the rotary assembly to fold a trailing end of the band around the trailing edge and outer surface of said article gripped upon said support, actuating means for said lever means driven by said driving means and means fixedly mounted to stationary part of the machine for coacting the leading and trailing ends of the band.

11. A banding machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first reciparoca l lever means is also saidarticle aligning means.

12. A andmg machine as claimed in claim 1 w erem the actuating means for said gripper, said first lever means and said second lever means comprises respectively first, second and third cams and associated first, second and third cam followers, said cams being fixedly mounted co-axially about the axis of rotation of the rotary assembly. 

1. A banding machine comprising: a. a platform having a working surface adapted to receive an article to be banded; b. a rotary assembly disposed adjacent the surface of the platform remote from said working surface, means mounting said rotary assembly for rotation about a fixed axis and said rotary assembly including a support means mounting said support both for circumferential movement closely by said platform to receive an article therefrom and for inward substantially radial movement against biasing means, a reciprocal constantstroke gripper, means mounting said gripper adjacent said support for movement in a substantially radial direction from a rest position to a predetermined inward position, said gripper having a radially disposed portion positioned for engaging a trailing edge of an article upon said platform, said gripper including also a tangentially disposed terminal portion defining means movable towards said predetermined inward position for engaging a part of the outer surface of an article disposed upon said support and gripping said article thereupon; c. means for feeding a band upon said support before it reaches said platform; d. driving means for rotating said rotary assembly; e. actuating means for said gripper, said actuating means being driven by said driving means and operable upon rotation of the rotary assembly to cause said radially disposed portion of the gripper to engage the article trailing edge thereby to transfer the article from said platform to said support with a band therebetween and thereafter to move said gripper from said rest position radially inwardly with said tangential portion of the said gripper moving to said predetermined inward position thereby to grip the article; and f. means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band while the article is gripped by said gripper.
 2. A banding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for bringing together the two ends of a band comprises first reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in a direction opposite to that of the rotary assembly to fold a leading end of the band against the article leading edge, second reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in the same direction as the rotary assembly to fold the trailing end of the band around the trailing edge and outer surface of the article gripped upon said support, and actuating means for said lever means dRiven by said driving means and means fixedly mounted to a stationary part of the machine for coacting the leading and trailing ends of the band.
 3. A banding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the actuating means for said gripper and said first and second reciprocal lever means comprises, respectively, first and second and third cams and associated first and second and third cam followers, said cams being fixedly mounted co-axially about the axis of rotation of the assembly.
 4. A banding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for feeding the band upon said support comprises a suction member mounted upon said rotary assembly, a rotary air distribution valve comprising a stationary component having a distribution port in communication with a source of suction, a rotary component adapted to rotate with said rotary assembly and having port means in communication with said suction member and adapted to align cyclically with said distribution port, and safety means operable upon rotation of the rotary assembly to move said gripper to its predetermined inward position when, as said gripper approaches said platform, there is less than a predetermined degree of suction in said suction member.
 5. A banding machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the actuating means for the said gripper comprises a modifiable cam fixedly mounted co-axially about the axis of rotation of the rotary assembly and an associated cam follower connected mechanically to said gripper and the safety means is adapted to modify the effective profile of the said cam.
 6. A banding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cam comprises two distinct portions, a major portion adapted for normal operation of the machine and a movable minor portion adapted to move into effective alignment with said major portion whereby to increase the peripheral profile of the said cam and to cause the extremity of the said gripper to pass inwardly of the working surface of the said platform upon rotation of the rotary assembly.
 7. A banding machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the minor portion of the cam is spring biased to said effective alignment and including a vacuum sensitive electrical switch in fluid communication with the interior of said suction member and an electromagnet adapted to be energized by said vacuum sensitive switch, and in its energized state, to move said minor cam portion out of said effective alignment.
 8. A banding machine as claimed in claim 1 including a magazine adapted to house a supply of bands, said magazine being pivotally mounted and driven by said driving means in unison with the rotation of said rotary assembly thereby to facilitate the removal of a band from said magazine by said band feeding means.
 9. A banding machine comprising: a. a platform having a working surface adapted to receive an article to be banded; b. a rotary assembly disposed adjacent the surface of the platform remote from said working surface, means mounting said rotary assembly for rotation about a fixed axis, said rotary assembly including a support, means mounting said support both for circumferential movement closely by said platform and to receive an article therefrom and for inward substantially radial movement against biasing means, a reciprocal constant stroke gripper, means mounting said gripper for movement in a substantially radial direction from a rest position to a predetermined inward position, said gripper having a radially disposed portion positioned for engaging a trailing edge of an article upon said platform, said gripper including also a tangentially disposed portion defining means movable towards said predetermined inward position for engaging a part of an outer surface of an article upon said support and gripping the article thereupon, and a pivotally mounted article aligning means adapted to engage the leading edge of an article upon said support and to constrain said article between the radially disposed portion of the gripper and said article aligning means prior to the gripping of The article upon the support; c. a means for feeding a band upon said support before it reaches said platform; d. driving means for rotating said rotary assembly; e. actuating means for said gripper and said aligning means, said actuating means being driven by said driving means and adapted upon rotation of said rotary assembly to cause the said radial portion of the gripper to engage the said trailing edge thereby to transfer an article from the platform to the support with a band therebetween, to move said gripper from said rest position, to move said aligning means to its effective position and, thereafter, to cause said tangential portion of said gripper to move to said predetermined inward position; and f. means for bringing together and uniting the two ends of the band.
 10. A banding machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein the means for bringing together the two ends of a band comprises first reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in a direction opposite to that of the rotary assembly to fold a leading end of the band against the leading edge of an article and second reciprocal lever means pivotally mounted to said rotary assembly and operable upon rotational movement in the same direction as the rotary assembly to fold a trailing end of the band around the trailing edge and outer surface of said article gripped upon said support, actuating means for said lever means driven by said driving means and means fixedly mounted to stationary part of the machine for coacting the leading and trailing ends of the band.
 11. A banding machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first reciprocal lever means is also said article aligning means.
 12. A banding machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein the actuating means for said gripper, said first lever means and said second lever means comprises respectively first, second and third cams and associated first, second and third cam followers, said cams being fixedly mounted co-axially about the axis of rotation of the rotary assembly. 